Conventionally, a radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an RFID reader that is configured to communicate with a plurality of RFID transponders by way of radio frequency (RF) transmissions. Typically, each of the RFID transponders is associated with an RFID-enabled item, such as a shipping parcel, for example, and stores particularized data about the associated item (e.g., manufacturer, manufacturing date, destination, and/or account information). The RFID reader communicates with the RFID transponders to gather particularized data about each RFID-enabled item. Oftentimes, a plurality of RFID-enabled items are arranged in a group such as to facilitate shipping (e.g., palletized, retained in a cargo container). When the RFID reader attempts to communicate with each of the plurality of RFID-enabled items within the group, some of the items located along the perimeter of the group may affect the ability of the RFID reader to communicate with some of the RFID transponders (e.g., due to loss of signal power or signal degradation).